1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to eyeglasses and more particularly to eyeglasses having a novel and highly effective uniblock of which a portion forms a housing for a magnet or other securing means adapted to secure an auxiliary lens (with or without a frame) in place over or behind a primary lens (with or without a frame).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Eyeglasses equipped with one or more magnets adapted to secure an auxiliary lens in superimposed relation to a primary lens are known and disclosed for example in a U.S. patent to Chao U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,207. That patent discloses eyeglasses including primary and auxiliary frames each supporting lenses. The primary frame includes two “legs” respectively connected to two side extensions and includes two magnetic members secured in the legs. The auxiliary frame includes two legs each having a magnetic member engageable with the magnetic members of the primary frame to secure the frames together and to prevent the auxiliary frame from moving downward relative to the primary frame.
An earlier disclosure of eyeglasses having magnets for securing auxiliary lenses to primary lenses is found in a U.S. patent to Meeker U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,103. The Meeker patent discloses an eyeglasses frame that includes a magnetic material secured to a peripheral portion thereof for facilitating attachment of an auxiliary lens rim cover to the frame. The lens rim cover also includes a magnetic strip engageable with the magnetic material of the frame.
A U.S. patent to Sadler U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,537 discloses first magnetic members respectively secured to temporal portions of a primary frame and second magnetic members secured to corresponding temporal portions of auxiliary lenses.
In eyeglasses constructed in accordance with the prior art, the piecemeal assembly of closing block, end piece, magnet housing and temple-piece hinge produces a structure that is unduly strung out or elongate, and the housing for the magnet is bulky and unsightly. Since conventional eyeglasses of this type require soldering, they are also labor-intensive and expensive to manufacture, and the resulting structure is weakened by the cycles of heating and cooling, so that the frames do not hold their shape and are more likely to break. In addition, the need to assemble so many large pieces in conventional eyeglasses limits the design possibilities.